June 22, 2010

a little Memphis pride

i’ve never been shy talking about Memphis. when i was younger, i could think of nothing more than getting the heck out of here. i mean really, it isn’t the most glamorous place to live. it was recently ranked as the 4th most miserable city. whoa! but it definitely has its perks and I choose to focus on those. this place is FULL of history, especially of the music and civil war varieties. there are quirky celebrations and cultural festivals all year round. great little communities. and fun things to do all over.

along with the constant negative publicity about crime rates and poor education, we have recently seen in a surge in positive views of the city.

did you know that Memphis the musical just won a Tony for Best Musical? I want to rush to NYC to see it on Broadway. Anyone want to buy me a ticket?

TLC has a new season of a previous show called Police Women of Memphis and let me tell you, these women are TOUGH! Truth be told, there are a lot of rough neighborhoods around here. Shoot, I teach in one of the worst neighborhoods. Just think back to The Blind Side. Yep, it’s really real. You should watch these ladies kick some booty on the streets of Memphis. You’ll be amazed.

And another show premieres tonight. I’m a little worried about how this show will fair, but I’ll take any quirky semi-positive view of Memphis they will put out there. Memphis Beat begins tonight on TNT starring Jason Lee. Playing an Elvis obsessed police investigator, the show apparently is a twist on the reality of police scenes around town. And just for fun, each of the 10 first season episodes are named after Elvis song titles. I think I’ll watch just for fun but cannot commit to loving it.

Then, of course, there was The Blind Side. For those of you completely removed from this realm of America, racism and subtle forms of segregation still reign supreme in some areas. It is not a practice that all Southerners prescribe to, however, it does occur. From both ends of the spectrum, might I add. The Blind Side was a reminder of what we are expected to do – love one another no matter what.

I think that is another reason I love this city – there are so many dark spots that need light and love. It is a haven for God’s people to constantly do His work and serve others.